Hidden Truths
by Moonwing1
Summary: Two magical worlds are about to collide, but were they always as separate as we think? When the Winx Club discover that there is more to magic on Earth than Roxy they are sent to investigate, and Harry Potter and his friends get one very large shock as they discover a dark secret. Only together can Harry Potter and the Winx Club right the wrongs of the past and move forward.
1. Prologue

_The Hidden Truth_

_Prologue:_

Harry Potter looked down at the piece of parchment before him on the table, nestled between the bowls of scrambled eggs and bacon on the Burrow kitchen table. His school list sat before him, his Seventh year school list. After everything that had happened last year, some people might've found it strange that they were all going back for their final year; especially that he would. He hadn't even been sure that he was going to, but Hermione had talked him, and by extension Ron, into it, and Harry had quite liked the idea of being in the same year as Ginny. With Voldemort gone he hoped he'd actually manage to achieve a quiet year.

"Well, here we go. It all looks simple enough," Hermione said, glancing through the lists quickly as Mrs. Weasley dished out breakfast for each person at the table. "Should we go to Diagon Alley today? I'd like to get a start on this reading list."

Ron snorted through his potatoes at that, although he was hardly surprised.

"Why would we want to start early? It's not like the books are going to be changing what they say."

Hermione frowned at her boyfriend and Harry could easily see a 'bookstorm' brewing, but it was too beautiful a late July day to begin it with an argument.

"Why not?" he quickly put in, "we'll have more of a chance to visit with Fred and Percy."

No one had been more shocked than his mother when Fred had decided to move back to London and re-open the Joke Shop, but everyone had been flabbergasted when Percy had decided to go with him.

"He needs someone to look after him," he'd reasoned, "and everybody knows I got the brains of this family. You just wait, within a year there'll be Weasley Wizard Wheezes shops all over England."

Wisely no one had challenged him, although they all knew it was as much for himself as for Fred.

The idea of visiting Fred and Percy mollified Ron and he stopped grumbling, while Hermione went back to reading through the booklist.

Harry was just trying to think of some place he and Ginny could sneak off to, and not be found out by her mother, when he heard Hermione, of all things, snort in amusement.

"What's so funny, all of a sudden?" he asked.

"This" Hermione flipped the booklist to show him the last item, "Ancient History of Magic; the Lost Faire Lore? Honestly, that has to be the most ridiculous read ever; there are no such things as fairies."

"Now don't go assuming things just because you don't know!" Ginny argued, surprising the trio. "There are Unicorns, that you know for sure, and basilisks, and mermaids and hippogryphs, goblins, trolls, and centaurs, too. After everything you three have seen over the last seven years, how can you just assume that fairies don't exist either?"

"Well, because…because I've never seen one, or read anything serious about them!" Hermione insisted, but even to her it seemed a poor excuse.

"Tell them, Mum!" Ginny begged her mother.

"Now, now, Ginny is quite right, you should not assume," Mrs. Weasley started, deflating Hermione a bit further. "Fairies do indeed exist, or they once did, in any case."

"They once did? You mean like they're extinct now?" Hermione asked her, curiosity afire.

Mrs. Weasley nodded. "They disappeared during the Dark Times; but I'm not the best person to tell that story, there's a good reason it's left until final year," and she refused to say any more. However, now Hermione was desperately curious, but all she got out of Ron's mother was a suggestion, "Ask Professor McGonnagall, Professor Binns, or Hagrid."

"Hargrid, why Hagrid?" she wanted to know.

"Well" Mrs. Weasley replied, "He is the Care of Magical Creatures teacher now, he would know."

And with that maddeningly vague reply, Hermione and the boys were left to wonder for the rest of the summer.


	2. Chapter 1

_Chapter One:_

Worlds and worlds away from Earth, at least two or three, a Headmistress poured over paperwork on her wide wooden desk, and sighed. Roxy, the last Earth-born fairy, was not doing well at Alfea, and she didn't understand why. While on Earth in Gardenia she had succeeded in transforming to her first fairy form, but would or could not fly. She used her powers in a very basic way, and more by instinct than by plan. Headmistress Faragonda had hoped that having Roxy at Alfea, where they could attempt to guard and protect her from the Dark Wizards, would help her improve, but she was showing the same lack of progress here, and by all that was magical, Faragonda could not figure out why! It was some consolation that the Winx girls had achieved Believix forms and powers, but the problem with Roxy was fast diverting her total attention. She sighed again, and turned to something new.

She had received some interesting reports from the Head Pixie of the pixie village, and those responsible for the care of the "Tree of Life." The withered branch that represented Earth within the Magical Dimension was apparently not as 'dead' as everyone had long believed. Beneath what had appeared as dead bark was a live limb, if not a perfectly healthy one. When this had happened was anyone's guess, as before Bloom appeared, there hadn't been much to show from Earth since the Dark Times, and the extinction of magic there. Faragonda remembered back when she had been a student-fairy; they had all been warned that Earth was a dangerous place for fairies, and was to be avoided. Now she knew about the Wizards of the Black Circle, but there was also Bloom, and now Roxy, who had grown-up on Earth, and were among the most special fairies that Alfea had seen in at least a generation. Earth once again had strong magical potential, but how this had come to be remained a mystery. There were rumours, of course, of wizards and witches on Earth, but not the same kind as she knew. There had always been stories about magical creatures living on Earth, stories that had made it back to the Magical Dimensions, but no one here seemed to know why or how this could be, not even the Pixies, who had eyes and ears everywhere. She needed to change tactics, and go for the more direct approach.

"Griselda!" she called into the air, and within a few minutes her colleague joined her in her office.

"Yes Headmistress?" Griselda asked.

"I would like you to summon the Winx, and Roxy, to see me please," she requested.

Griselda paused for a minute, thinking. Then; "The Winx are teaching their class" Griselda replied, not sure if she ever would call what the Winx were doing as teaching, "and Roxy has their class now as well," she finished.

"Very good then. Please ask them to see me when class is finished," Faragonda replied, and picked up something less difficult to deal with for a while.

"So that's all for today, girls, but I want each of you to practice what we worked on today; feel the winx inside you, and do whatever feels natural," Bloom instructed the younger girls as they picked up notebooks and bags.

"Yes, ma'me," they answered as they were off.

Stella sighed as she picked up things left lying around the room the six Winx girls shared; "It still totally weirds me out when the kids call me that" she admitted to the others.

"Yeah, I totally feel that too" Musa agreed. "I feel like Griselda is standing over my shoulder, and it's her they're talking to!"

"Well, how apt you are then, Ms. Musa, as it's you girls I've come to see," Griselda spoke up right behind Musa, making her jump.

"Really?" Flora asked, "Did you need us for something?"

"In fact, it's the Headmistress that needs to see you, as well as Roxy here" Griselda told them as she motioned Roxy forward from by the door.

"We're there!" Bloom replied, and the seven girls followed Griselda to the Headmistress' office.

"Ah, there you are girls" Faragonda welcomed them a few minutes later. "How are you settling into things?"

"Oh it's great, Mrs. F!" Stella exclaimed.

"Hey Stella, weren't you just saying how weird it is being a teacher?" Layla teased.

Stella just blushed in response.

"So did you need us for something, Mrs. F; a mission, maybe?" Bloom asked, hopefully.

"Perhaps, but at this precise moment what I need is information. About Earth and magic in particular, and you girls have the most experience in this matter" she explained.

"Magic? On Earth? I thought you told us that there was no magic on Earth now?" Bloom asked, puzzled.

"That is indeed what we always believed, but I have recently learned that what I always believed to be rumour's may in fact be truth; magic still exists on Earth, besides for Roxy of course." Faragonda revealed.

"Holy Cow!" Stella exclaimed, while both Flora and Bloom immediately asked; "How!"

"I have recently learned that the Tree of Life branch representing Earth is not completely dead, and it is more magic than just Roxy can represent by herself. There have always been stories of magical creatures, witches and wizards, living on Earth," Faragonda continued.

"Witches!" Techna exclaimed, but Faragonda held up her hand for silence.

"Yes, both witches and wizards, but not like those we know. It is just rumour of course, but what I have heard is that the witches and wizards both, use wands to do magic."

"Really? I wonder how they work." Techna wondered, a far away look developing in her eyes as she ran possibilities in her head.

"I know of nothing more, but I believe it's something that needs to be investigated. Bloom, Roxy, do you have any thoughts?" Faragonda asked them.

The two girls thought a minute before Bloom answered.

"There are just stories, Mrs. F., witches causing trouble, wizards providing guidance, unicorns and centaurs living in Enchanted Forests, but I've never heard anything more than that, although there are those kind of stories all over the world," Bloom told them.

"Hmmm, thank you Bloom, that does match what I've heard as well. Roxy, is there anything you could add?" Faragonda asked.

"I've heard the same stories as Bloom growing up, but there is one thing I remember that was strange," she began, as the others leaned forward eagerly.

"Yes?" Faragonda encouraged.

"Well, when I was a kid in primary school I had a friend who always insisted, just to me, that her uncle was a wizard; and not just him, but her whole extended family, all except her dad, who's an Accountant. I just thought she'd made it up, but some of what you just said, and what she told me matches up," Roxy explained.

"This could be vitally important, Roxy; exactly what we're searching for!" Faragonda told her, leaning forward across her desk. "Do you remember any details about this girls' family at all?"

"Only that their name was Weasley, they live in a country on Earth called England, and that all the kids go to a funny sounding school called Hogwarts."

Faragonda leaned back into her chair, steepening her fingers, thoughtfully.

"Does that help, Mrs. F.?" Roxy asked anxiously, not as sure of the Headmistress as the other girls already were.

"Yes, indeed it has, Roxy, for we now have vital components that we didn't before; now we have a name, and a place to set a tracker spell on," Faragonda told them.

"Ah ha! Why that's brilliant, Mrs. F.! A basic non-intrusive, invisible, information seeking spell that also leaves detectable traces to those who are looking for them! But it takes a lot of precision in the spell," Techna informed everyone.

"And it needs to be crafted very carefully, which is why we'll be finished with all the details in a few weeks," Faragonda told them. Then she turned to Roxy; "We greatly appreciate your help with this Roxy. You can return to your day now, with our thanks."

Roxy shot a glance at the Winx girls as she rose; "I'm glad I could help, Headmistress. See you all later," she told the Winx as she left the office.

"Was there something else, Mrs. F.?" Flora asked politely, as the rest of the Winx eyed their mentor curiously.

"Yes indeed there is, girls. What I did not wish to mention in front of Roxy, just yet, is that I want you girls to head to Earth, and find out what is going on there with magic. This could have vital importance to the entire magical dimensions."

"Don't worry, Mrs. F., you can count on us!" Bloom stated, and the other girls soundly agreed.

"Thank you, girls. Although I do realize that this mission will again interrupt the teaching of your class," Mrs. F. began, smiling with the others when Stella snorted. "I appreciate the sacrifice of your time. Now, barring any problems, the spell should be ready within a few weeks, and I want you girls ready. Ready for whatever we might discover."


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N I should have done this before, but am doing it now; I own nothing.**

**Something else I forgot to mention is that for those fans of the Winx Club, Aisha was originally called Layla, and I started writing this when she was Layla, and that's how it's going to stay. All mistakes are also my own.**

**Now, on with the story**.

_Chapter Two_

As Harry settled into his seat on the train, and Ginny nestled in next to him, they both breathed a sigh of relief. They had a compartment to themselves. Not for any official reason, they were just the Quidditch Captain, and his best player who also happened to be his girlfriend, but for once Harry cashed in on his fame, and commandeered the precious space. He figured he'd finally earned it. And he could also finally count on Ron and Hermione not interrupting, as the new Head Boy and Girl had their own entire train car to themselves.

"What's so funny?" Ginny asked.

Harry shook his head; he hadn't even realized he'd been grinning. "Just wondering how long it's going to take for Hermione to drive Ron crazy on their own," he told her, and Ginny grinned in response.

Hermione, ever since she had heard about fairies, had been relentless in search of more information, and it had been driving everyone to distraction, especially Ron.

"Oh, don't worry too much, a big private car to themselves, I'm sure Ron will think of something," Ginny declared, glancing at Harry slyly.

Harry grinned again in reply, and no more talking was heard from the compartment until they reached Hogwarts.

The trip up to the school seemed surreal this year, there were so many memories attached now, both good and bad. It was a bit of a shock for Ginny, Ron, and Hermione when they saw the Thestrals pulling the carriages for the first time, and Harry's heart wrenched; he wished they still couldn't see them. When they approached the main entrance, they could all see how hard the school had worked at rebuilding; things were almost like new. Entering into the Great Hall, it was much like every previous year.

There was a lot of noise as people shuffled together, pushed back the benches, and caught up about their summer holidays. If things were slightly mellower, it was hard to notice at this point. One thing that did surprise Harry, although he knew it shouldn't have, was seeing Professor McGonagall in the center chair. It made Professor Dumbledore's death somehow more real to him, even though it had been over a year since his mentor had died. He sighed, and rubbed his forehead; maybe coming back this last year had been a mistake.

"Hey, you okay?" Ginny asked softly, slipping her hand into his. He glanced around and saw that Ron and Hermione also gazed at him with concern.

"Don't worry, guys, just forget about it for now," he told them. They all gave him small smiles, and he knew they understood.

The hat was brought out, and this year it sang of harmony, forging a new future, and making new friends. As it wrapped up, Harry gazed over the first years, and realized just how _small_ the eleven year olds looked now. He could clearly remember how terrifying and unknown his future had felt, sitting on the stool with the ratty old hat over his eyes and in his head. How the world had changed now for these kids. They would never have to worry about the lives of their loved ones being destroyed, and he was going to help make sure of that.

As the sorting finished and Professor Flitwick floated the hat and stool away, Professor McGonagall stood for the start of term notices, when suddenly the entire Hall went black.

"What the hell?" Harry heard Ron swear, as the voices of hundreds of students suddenly converged into so much noise as people started to panic in the darkness that shouldn't have been possible, as Hermione was whispering furiously to herself.

"Everyone, please remain seated and calm down" McGonagall's magnified voice instructed, and the general noise immediately quieted down. It was only in the absolute silence that everyone realized it was not quite absolute; a low pitched hum pervaded the room, and then it wasn't absolutely dark, as a soft white glow began to form on the dais that the Sorting Hat had just vacated.

"Good Heaven's, what now?" they all heard McGonagall ask no one in particular. Then; "Teachers, protect the students. Prefects please guide your houses to…"

Suddenly the white glow flashed into a bright white circle that floated in mid air. The teachers quickly circled the apparition, wands out, ready for anything. The entire school sat frozen, waiting to see what would happen next.

In the silence, they began to hear a definitely female shriek coming from the white circle. The trio could see their teachers tense, as the shriek, which sounded like it was being echoed up a well, got louder. The circle flashed again, and suddenly there was a loud thump, as they saw something hit the floor. There were more thumps and suddenly there was a tangle of limbs in front of the circle and five more oomph's of expelled air. Then the circle disappeared and they were plunged into darkness once again.

"Okay everyone, just relax!" everyone could hear a female voice say.

"That was a much rougher trip than the Headmistress led us to believe it would be," another voice said.

There was more rustling and other strange sounds in the dark before; "Why is it so dark? Aren't there people here? Solarian Sunbeam!"

And as this last was shouted, a huge ball of yellow light appeared and hovered over the front of the hall, revealing the teachers surrounding six young women, all wearing short dresses, and all, every one, with wings.


	4. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

The entire hall full of people, even the teachers, stared at the new arrivals, not sure what to make of them. The six young women looked all the same age, but from there things changed; one had red hair, one was blond, there was a light brunette to dark ones, and one amazingly enough had hair that looked dark pink! But beyond their differences in appearance, the wings had everyone captivated. It couldn't be!

"Why is everyone so quiet? I don't have anything on my face, do I?" the blond asked the others, starting to desperately pat her face as if it might not be there anymore.

That broke the tension as some of the Hogwarts girls giggled and a couple of the other young women rolled their eyes. Professor McGonagall finally stepped forward, although she hadn't put her wand away yet, either.

"That was a rather spectacular entrance, ladies. Can you please explain who exactly you are, how you came to be here, and why I shouldn't be sending an owl to the Ministry to summon the Aurors."

"What's an Auror?" one of the girls muttered, while another said, "Sending an owl! She can't be serious!"

Quickly the redhead with the blue dress and wings stepped forward and did a little curtsey before speaking.

"We're very sorry to have barged in like this, ma' me. My name is Bloom, and these are my friends Flora, Musa, Techna, Layla, and Stella. We're the Winx, from Alfea."

"And forgive me, but what exactly are you?" Professor McGonagall couldn't help asking.

"Why, we're fairies, of course! Guardian Fairies" Bloom told them all.

"Fairies, could it really be?" McGonagall breathed.

Bloom remained silent, and Techna stepped forward; "As to how we arrived, we set a tracking and locating spell, but it appears it may have unintentionally interrupted some of your set spells. We will of course help put things right," Techna offered.

"Of course," McGonagall replied, although it looked as if she very much wanted to sit down.

When McGonagall didn't say anything further, an awkward silence descended for a second, before;

"This is Hogwarts, isn't it?" Flora asked quietly, her voice echoing softly throughout the entire hall.

"Yes, indeed it is, young ladies, and we were just sitting down to a feast. Why don't you join us?" Madame Pomfrey answered, stepping forward and giving her friend Minerva a hard poke in the ribs. She would have to recommend something to help her relax again.

With an open invitation to dinner, all the teachers put their wands away, and headed back to the Head Table. The fairies followed the teachers to the Head Table, much to the disappointment of the students. As they went to sit down, the population of Hogwarts got another shock, as the fairies bodies shimmered for a moment, and six ordinary young women reappeared. The feast began immediately, with the start of term notices pushed back in light of their guests. The entire student body was intensely curious, but could only look and occasionally hear, what was being discussed at the Head Table.

Bloom and her friends were prepared for some kind of reaction when they released their fairy forms, and all were slightly concerned when the older woman who appeared to be in charge became a little paler.

"Are you alright, ma' me?" Bloom asked, reaching out to the women's arm as they sat down.

McGonagall took a deep breath and attempted a small smile. "Yes, please don't worry. You must realize this has all been a bit of a shock," McGonagall replied.

"Of course, ma' me," Bloom politely replied.

"So I believe introductions are in order; I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," McGonagall began, then went around the table, introducing not only the teachers, but their Specialties as well. McGonagall could clearly see the interest on each guest's face as subjects they were interested in were introduced; Flora was immediately riveted by the mention of Herbology, and Minerva had a good feeling that the gentle looking girl and Professor Sprout would get along like two peas in a pod. The girl Techna looked fascinated by Arithmancy and Ancient Runes, while Musa and Layla perked up at the mention of Care of Magical Creatures, although they also looked a bit intimidated by Hagrid. Bloom seemed most interested in History of Magic, which interested McGonagall, while Stella remained polite through all introductions, but didn't light up until Professor Trelawny was introduced at the end.

"I hope that you enjoy the feast, ladies." McGonagall finished.

"Uhmmm, what do you want to do about the light?" Stella asked, bobbing the yellow globe slightly.

McGonagall frowned before she replied, "Can you light the candles?" She asked, indicating the thousands of candles that still floated about the Hall. The Winx girls wondered why she just didn't relight them herself. But perhaps this was a test?

"Of course, no problem at all," Bloom answered, glancing over at Stella. While Stella was the Fairy of Light, fire was Bloom's expertise, and why not put on a little show in the process? Stella caught onto Bloom's intent and nodded; she was game. She slowly started to reduce her Ball of Light, moving her hands like she was moulding a pot, until the glow was hardly there. As she was doing this, Bloom stood and spread her hands apart before her, and with a breath created a small ball of fire that quickly grew and separated. In a minute she had thousands of tiny little fireballs that she shooed towards every floating candle. The students, who had always taken the sky spell of the Hall for granted, where impressed, and a little awed. Bloom sat back down, pleased with herself. The first impression had been made.

As everyone 'tucked' in to their feast, every table had just one subject of conversation.

"Fairies! Can you believe it!"

"I always hoped the stories were true!"

"Did you see that? They did magic without even thinking about it, and no wands!"

"Do you think they can actually fly?"

"I wonder if they're human? They certainly look human enough for me!"

The trio were no exception. "Fairies! So much for a quiet year! Do you think it's a coincidence that Voldemort was defeated a few months ago and now they show up?" Hermione questioned.

That drew thoughtful frowns from the others. "Who knows? I don't think even McGonagall knows what to make of them. But I really want to read that book of yours now," Harry admitted. "So we can be ready for anything."

Ron reluctantly agreed and Hermione smiled in triumph.

"So, with all this happening," she said waving her hand towards the head table to indicate their new guests, "how long do you think it's going to be before we learn the big secret of fairy history?"

"Not too long at all, I'd reckon. And the sooner the better," Ron answered her.

The feast was as delicious as usual and the last dessert only disappeared when not a single person in the Hall could eat anymore. Guest rooms had been prepared during dinner for the Winx, but McGonagall wished to speak with them without the entire school watching. She rose to indicate dinner was over and dismissed the students to their beds; except for three.

"Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, and you too Mr. Potter, join us please," McGonagall gently called.

Harry softly squeezed Ginny's hand, silently promising to tell her everything later, and approached the Head table with his two best friends.

"Yes, Professor?" Hermione asked.

"Ladies, this is Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter. Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley are our Head Boy and Girl, and Mr. Potter here is the Gryffendor House Quidditch Team Captain. They are, in respects, the head of the student body here at Hogwarts. I thought, that as these three usually involve themselves anyway, they might want to give you a bit of a tour before showing you to your rooms." McGonagall suggested.

Hermione had been blushing, and the boys shuffled their feet as McGonagall had praised them, but they all grinned at the last. They would get to show-off their school, and would be the first to meet these exotic guests. The year was looking up.

"It would be our pleasure, Professor," Harry answered for all three.

"Excellent, in that case, let us remove to my office, and we can discuss why you ladies are here." McGonagall stated.

A few minutes later the six Winx, Harry, Ron and Hermione, and Prof. Flitwick, who was now deputy Headmaster, all sat or stood in the Headmistress' office. McGonagall settled behind the desk, and sighed.

Fairies.

"So, where should we begin?"

Bloom sat up straighter, happy to represent her friends. "Headmistress, we come from different worlds within the Magical Dimension, but we were all taught to be what we are at a school very much like this one, a school called Alfea. Our mentor is the Headmistress there. Recently she learned of magic existing on Earth, while the commonly held belief has been that it died out here centuries ago! Information we learned recently led us here," Bloom stated.

McGonagall sat back in her chair, while the trio and Flitwick just sat there with stunned expressions.

"You believed magic has not existed on Earth for centuries?" McGonagall repeated.

Bloom nodded. "Not true magic anyway. How this is all possible," Bloom said, using her finger to indicate the room; witches, wizards, the castle, and beyond, "is what we're here to find out."

"There are clues, even in the short time we've been here, that we've seen," Techna put in. "For instance, as I said earlier, there appears to be a certain incompatibility between our magic's that make end results a little unpredictable when they come into conflict," she explained.

"And that's why the Sky spell cancelled and the candles went out when you arrived?" Hermione put in.

"So we believe, yes," Techna continued. "The trip through the portal was also unaccountably rough, but that always seems to happen when we come to Earth."

"Hey, that is not my fault!" Stella insisted, "There's some kind of barrier that we pass through…" Stella trailed off.

"There are perception shields and wards around the school," McGonagall offered, strangely sympathetic. Stella shook her head.

"It's more than just this place, there's a magical barrier around this entire world, and it's old…" Stella trailed off again as her eye's unfocused and she gazed inwards, trying to figure out the problem in her own way.

"So you're here on a research mission, to study magic?" Flitwick clarified.

"Essentially, yes." Bloom answered.

"Well, we can certainly accommodate such an important goal." McGonagall told them. "You are welcome to stay at Hogwarts for however long you need. However, please don't misunderstand our curiosity, especially the children, because I can assuredly say that we are as curious about you all, and this situation, as you perhaps are about us. To us, Fairies exist merely in legend and stories, and only briefly in history."

"Professor, there's a book that's part of the 7th year reading list that talks of Fairies," Harry spoke up.

Hermione nodded and a few of the Winx looked interested. "I've read it already and there's really not much more than some basic facts in story form, but Mrs. Weasley did indicate that there was something else about Fairies, that we're not supposed to learn until 7th year. Something that's not written down."

McGonagall sighed and frowned. "I suppose it's alright, you were going to learn this anyway, this year. Now the circumstances have changed," she took a deep, fortifying breath, and began;

"There are parts of our history that we are by no means proud of, and this particular bit goes back to the Dark Times, a thousand years ago, just before this school was founded. In those days, each witch or wizard was apprenticed, and learned from only one teacher. There were a lot more of us then, and we lived openly with non-magical people, what we call Muggles.

But trouble came; a group of young wizards became very powerful, and turned to the Dark Ways. They preyed on magical and muggle alike, with no distinction. They searched out any way possible to increase their power, travelling all over the world. Eventually they were so powerful even their name was feared, much like some others I could name. They came to be known merely as the Wizards of the Black Circle. Eventually it was discovered how they had amassed so much power, and it is one of the most shameful facts of wizarding history." McGonagall paused, taking another breath before continuing. "And it never get's easier to tell. They had been taught a manner of stealing the powers of other magical beings; unicorns, pixies, sprites, and…"

"And Fairies," Bloom finished, a dark look on her usually bright face.

Harry, Ron and Hermione's faces went white with shock and outrage, but it wasn't long before their mouths caught up.

"How could they do such a thing!" Hermione demanded, sick with the thought.

"For some power means everything. We know that," most of the Winx were surprised to hear Harry say.

"How could someone teach something like that!" Ron demanded.

"Who this was is a hotly debated academic issue even today, but it was the driving force behind the establishment of Schools for Magic such as Hogwarts, in an effort to make sure nothing so reprehensible was ever taught again. Of course, we are not always successful. It is because of our shame that Fairies were thought to no longer exist. Until now," McGonagall finished.

Silence descended over the office as people worked through the information. It was a hard thing to accept.

"But Fairies obviously exist in other places and weren't wiped out. What happened to the Fairies here? This Black Circle couldn't have gotten them all" Hermione determined, but went pale again when she saw the Winx's faces.

"We just learned this not too long ago ourselves, you understand, but yes, they got nearly all the Earth-born Fairies. The Wizards of the Black Circle drained their magic and imprisoned them. You can't understand; it's terrible what they went through, to be separated from the magic, from their wings, and imprisoned, it drove them insane! It's a fate worse than death" Bloom said quietly while the other Winx nodded or shuddered in agreement.

"What did you mean 'nearly' all?" Harry suddenly asked, and this young man again surprised Bloom.

"Well, it's a long story, but at least one fairy was still free to move about, but always in hiding, because you see, just as the fairy survived, so did the Black Circle," Bloom told them.

"Oh no! How could they have survived for so long! Are you absolutely sure?" McGonagall asked.

"Oh yes, we're sure. They came to Alfea and attacked us, because they know there's still an Earth-born fairy alive. If they capture her magic, very likely it'll be the true end of magic on Earth."

**A/N Now we get into it! Please Review!**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N-Well here we go, Chapter 4. As usual, I don't own The Winx Club or Harry Potter, I'm just happy to play with these wonderful characters. And please review! I need all the help and encouragement I can get! **

_Chapter Four_

After such a statement, McGonagall suggested they stop for the night to think on what had been said. The trio still wanted to give the Winx a short tour of the castle, despite McGonagall's reminder that classes began in the morning. But they were all technically of age, so she left it up to their discretion. The nine men and women wound down the staircase and past the gargoyle in silence, the end of their discussion still echoing, but this didn't last long.

"So where can a girl get her nails done around here?" Stella asked into the silence.

Abruptly everyone burst into laughter.

"Stella, don't ever change!" Musa demanded as Stella just stood there in puzzlement over everyone laughing.

"Well, good nail hygiene is essential, you know!" Stella insisted.

Everyone just grinned.

"So, we're to give you the grand tour, anything you want to know," Harry told the Winx, spreading his arms out grandly.

The Winx looked around at the stone corridors, the suits of armour lining he halls, and the large windows that reflected the candlelight.

"One thing that has been nagging me, yes: you don't use technology here? There are more comfortable ways to live…" Techna observed, not wishing to offend.

"I know a few people who'd agree with you, Techna, but we can't. Electricity and anything run by it doesn't work around magic," Hermione told her.

"What of technology that _uses_ magic then?" Techna asked again.

Hermione whipped her head about to stare at the Fairy of Information. "We have no such thing, the Ministry actually discourages integrating magical and non-magical things. It's rather frustrating, actually," she told them.

"Really? Remind me later to show you my computer, then," Techna said, and Harry could see that Hermione and Techna were going to be fast friends.

The Trio showed the Winx around the castle, actually thankful of the late hour, as almost everyone was already either in bed, or their common rooms. The lake and the Quidditch pitch were clear favourites of Layla, especially when she learned there were merfolk in the lake. The Forbidden Forest fascinated Flora, and Hermione felt compelled to remind her how dangerous the forest was. Flora didn't seem concerned. Their last stop was the library, as it was where the Winx would begin their search tomorrow morning. They left them at the guest rooms, another tower of the castle in similar dormitory style to Gryffendor and Ravenclaw towers.

"So if there's anything you all need, or anything else we can do, just ask," Harry offered as they headed back to their own tower.

"Thank you, guys! We will," Bloom said, happy to have made some friends at Hogwarts so quickly.

Back in the Gryffendor Common Room, Harry, Ron and Hermione found Ginny waiting for them, curled up on the couch in front of the fire, holding the book on Fairies loosely in her hands.

"Well?" she asked as the trio sat down around her.

They all quickly summed up everything they'd learned in McGonagall's office for her, and she went white with shock and outrage when they told her of the Black Circle. When they finished telling her about the tour Ginny had a thoughtful look on her face.

"They sound just like us," she observed. "They've been through some bad times, but have stuck together through it."

Harry nodded. "I get that impression too."

"So you think they are what they appear to be, then?" Ron asked.

"No, I think there's more they're not telling us, but I think they might, given more time. But I do trust them. How can we not believe their fairy-tales?" Harry said cheekily.

The other three teens burst out laughing, while Harry grinned; pleased that the tension was now gone.

"We'd better get to bed, first day of classes start tomorrow, after all," Hermione pointed out.

The others reluctantly agreed; based on what had happened today, who knew what the next day would bring?

The following morning saw the beginning of what would become a typical day for the Winx at Hogwarts; they ate breakfast in the Great Hall with the school, sometimes at the Head table, sometimes at the House tables, where they would politely answer most questions asked, and were able to ask a few of their own too. Although not all questions asked were polite, or politely received, as one Ravenclaw boy found out when he discovered his usual place on the bench covered in thorns after asking Flora how soft her petals were. After breakfast most of the Winx would head to the library for research, although Musa brought up the point that if a few of them attended a few of the classes, suited to their own interests, they could better understand this human magic, as they'd taken to calling it. Everyone quickly agreed. They sometimes saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and were quickly introduced to Harry's girlfriend, and Ron's younger sister, Ginny. They didn't run into the smaller group often, as they were starting 7th year classes, and the Winx girls were exploring the entire curriculum, but that changed after a few weeks, and the Quidditch practices began.

Harry and Ginny headed down to the Pitch, and were excited to get started. The sky was a soft blue, with just a bit of a breeze; in other words, perfect Quidditch weather. They were so focused that they almost ran into Bloom, Layla, and Musa leaving the Great Hall.

"Whoa, where's the fire, you two!" Layla asked as they steadied themselves.

"Oh, hi you guys, we're just heading down for Quidditch practice, it's our first of the season, and so we wanted to be early. We're having try-outs a bit later, too" Ginny told them, but missed the look of complete bafflement by the three fairies.

Harry didn't.

"Why don't you come with us for a bit? Believe me, Quidditch is a lot easier to understand by seeing it," Harry offered.

The three Winx accepted gratefully. It was Saturday, after all. The Winx girls had of course seen the Pitch, but it was hard to picture this Quidditch game. Harry and Ginny brought out the chest of Quidditch balls and explained what each did.

"And you guy's play this game flying on brooms?" Layla exclaimed, eying the Bludgers.

Harry and Ginny just shrugged and gave identical little grins

"Do you think we could try?" Musa asked, her eyes bright with the challenge.

Harry hesitated; "It's a bit dangerous, those Bludgers go awfully fast and they're not gentle. One broke my arm in my second year."

"Can we use magic on them if we get into trouble?" Musa wondered.

"Yeah, I think so," Ginny answered, "that's what Madame Hooch does when something happens, and we need to stop the game."

"Then there shouldn't be a problem. Please?" Musa said, giving them her puppy dog eyes.

"I'd be game, it's been a while since I've really stretched my wings," Layla added.

"Alright then" Bloom said, and it was agreed. Three fairies ought to be able to handle the Bludgers and Snitch, and even though they hadn't said anything, or brought it up over the last few weeks, the two Hogwarts students really wanted to see the fairies fly. Having been busy with research and classes, the Winx hadn't been out of the castle proper since they'd arrived.

"Winx Enchantix!" the three fairies called, and Harry and Ginny watched in amazement as globes of light surrounded Bloom, Layla and Musa.

Within the space of those few seconds, Bloom thought back to Faragonda's instructions before they'd left Magix;

"_Although you girls achieving Believix fairy forms is impressive, I have to ask that you don't use your new powers while you are on Earth this time, at least not at the moment. There are too many unknowns here, and Believix, the power of Belief, in this situation, might affect the balance more than we want it too," _she had told the Winx, and they had all agreed.

So the three Winx transformed in front of the amazed eyes of the couple, revealing their Enchantix forms once again. Involuntarily Ginny let out of a little gasp and briefly closed her eyes; what little girl doesn't dream of fairies? And this was a dream come true.

Bloom shot her a small smile, like she understood, as Harry kicked the chest open. The three balls were off like a shot, and with a fluttering of wings, the Winx were right behind them. Layla and Musa had picked up the bats to go after the Bludgers, while Bloom wanted to try after the Snitch. They darted through the air effortlessly, going in any different direction with only a thought, and pulling moves and manoeuvres that Harry and Ginny could only dream of doing on a broom. And it certainly looked like they were enjoying themselves.

"Head's up, Layla!" Bet you can't catch this one!" Musa shouted over the wind as she hit the Bludgers towards the other girl. Layla just smiled as she knocked first one bludger, then the second one sent by Musa right back at her.

"Wow!" Ginny cried.

"Brilliant! What I'd give to have an arm like that this year!" Harry shouted.

While Layla and Musa were playing with the Bludgers, Bloom had been flying around the stadium, watching for that flash of gold on the edge of her vision that Harry had told her about the one time a few weeks ago when he'd first tried to explain Quidditch to the Winx. The Snitch was limited to within the Pitch's boundaries, but that could mean anywhere from ground level to a couple of thousand feet, he'd told her. But Bloom was nothing if not persistent. Twenty minutes of searching and she finally caught a glimpse of the thing, by one of the seating stands. She poured on the speed, and darted towards the flying gold ball, but it just slipped away. She kept her eyes on it, and rushed after it as it headed toward the ground. But the Snitch, if it had any awareness, wasn't used to a chaser with wings. As she skimmed along the ground, she could hear cheering in the distance, but she ignored it, and with one final burst of speed, she grabbed the ball before it had time to get away. Bloom grasped the fluttering thing in her hands, and realized she was panting, and that the cheering was suddenly much closer.

"Bloom that was amazing! I had no idea you could fly that fast!" Layla was saying.

"And if you're amazed, just imagine how we feel! If I could chase the Snitch like that, I'd have my pick of Quidditch Teams!" Harry told her.

"Thanks! But I'm glad I don't have to do that often, I haven't had that kind of workout since Dragon Island!" Bloom said. "But it would be an interesting match up, don't you think? Between you and me, who could catch the Snitch first?" she told Harry.

"Definitely would!" Ginny exclaimed. "That would be something to see."

It was at that point that they all noticed they had a bigger audience than they'd thought, and with a guilty start, Harry remembered this was supposed to be a Gryffindor practice and try-out.

"Oh my, we didn't mean to disrupt your practice!" Bloom apologized. "We'll let you get to it. I'm interested to see Quidditch as it's supposed to be played!"

"Well, I think we're going to have even more people trying out this year than even my first year as Captain, with that sort of inspiration!" Harry laughed, but he nodded in thanks as Bloom and the others conceded the pitch to him.

Abruptly a crack of thunder shook the stadium, and rain started pelting them. Harry didn't understand, where had this come from? It had been perfect weather just a few moments ago! He glanced at Ginny and saw a puzzled frown gracing her freckled nose, meaning she didn't know either. It was then that he looked over at the Winx, and with a spurt of dread, realized that they were tense as Dragon heartstrings and staring up at the sky. He followed their gaze to see four wizards just floating in the sky, outlined in darkness. The Wizards of the Black Circle had come to Hogwarts.

**Merry Christmas, everyone!**


End file.
